#finished and edited and revised

[mangoisms]

lagging. LOL. i was supposed to log that first 3k yesterday but Forgot and missed the deadline. did some today. still not where i should be yet - 4.8k - but thats ok! cannot let it get me down i just have to Write. and since i moved around some stuff in chapter 3 i was able to write a lot more yesterday and then finish it today, since previously i was at a bit of a roadblock. considering scraping the entire chapter entirely. but we did not do that! and it's fine now. we're getting into it and it'll be easier from now on i think

#probably doesn't inspire a lot of confidence but also. Why should i care. i Know. all that matters is i have fun and. well #i'm trying 😭 #i just think its my own self-imposed pressure. especially because i've had this idea for so long you know? #and like. its good in my brain. can i get it as good as its there onto paper? #trying. but it's just a first draft! have to keep that in mind. no one is going to see anything for a long while. not until it's been #finished and edited and revised #not to mention... the sequel... SO #we're good!!!! we got this!!!!! #arañita wip

[nightfayre]

i’m crying, throwing up, so incredibly proud of myself for finishing a fic i’ve been working on for ~20 days, non-stop. i seriously think it might be one of my best works

i’m so, so excited to share it with you all <3

#19 days #tianshan #zhanyi #fay talks #i’ll probably post a preview soon but holy fuck i need to go lie down somewhere #i have never put this much work into a fic — nevermind FINISH one #it’s about 50k in length but will probably be more after editing/revision #eleven-ish chapters in total #fuck i’m so happy. i’m so so so happy. i don’t even care if no one reads it — this is one of my biggest artistic accomplishments to date

[just-slightly-chayotic]

kim's face when chay says "any side would do. i like them all." is my favourite thing in the world

#HE'S A DORK #i can't even describe it #it's just #he's so endeared and his smile and the look in his eyes #and he so clearly didn't expect that #and just #afvsgskdbdld #tea's ramblings #i miss them #yeah i'm watching kimchay edits before bed again #i finished a fic but i wanna revise it a lot and i have class tomorrow so i should sleep #NOT THE POLAROIDS #GODDAMNIT #<< that goes to the current kimchay edit playibg #playing* #kimchay my beloved #kimhan theerapanyakul my beloved

[dulcesiabits]

hihi i hope you don't mind me asking but as a writer myself, i'm curious about how your writing process goes :o it's very evident you do a ton of research for your writing and it got me curious about how you go about research and writing as a whole! thank you for your time and have a wonderful day <3

Hi!! I don't mind at all <3 Thank you for sending this ask, because if there's something I love more than writing, then it's talking about the craft of writing! I'll just break down my general process on how I approach writing below <3 Keep in mind that this is both (1) general advice, and (2) specific to how I approach pieces, so it might not work for everyone! In general, I have four major steps: planning, outlining, writing, and then revising/editing!

Planning

The first thing that really happens is that I'll come up with an idea. For fanfic, this usually means I'll get an idea for a scenario I want to explore, or I'll really want to write about a character, and then I'll come up with several ideas that I think would be fun for them! In this stage, I might write a few notes about the premise, just a few sentences about the overall plot/arc I'm looking at. Additionally, I might come up with some general themes/motifs I want to include, but go more in-depth with them in the outlining stage. I'm a bit strange in the sense I tend to plan stories based on general concepts/themes before I delve into the nitty-gritty of characters and plot details (though this process is a bit reversed when I'm writing fanfiction).

I might also do some general research in regards to the premise: for example, I might look over the wiki to refresh my memories on character beats or miscellaneous trivia, or I'll reread certain pages of the manga/rewatch scenes of the anime/replay parts of the game. If I'm writing about a different culture, then I'll look up aspects of the culture that are relevant to my fic (and as with any research, you want to check that you're using reputable sites for accurate information!) Asking friends for their advice/expertise can also be helpful, especially if they're knowledgeable in areas I'm not.

2. Outlining

After I have an idea, I tend to make a really rough outline for how I want the story to go. I don't like planning every minuscule detail, so I leave my outline vague enough that I can be flexible with what I write. I might just draft the overarching plot beats that I want to hit, but then I might change/rearrange scenes depending on what happens as I actually write. I like having an idea of what might happen, but also I don't want my plot to be so rigid I don't have any freedom to play with it, especially because what I write might end up differently from what I planned to happen!

Additionally, I also tend to map out not just what's happening on the page, but also the themes, character arcs and emotional beats. It's not as daunting as it sounds; these things are generally entwined together, as they influence each other! I'm always thinking of them in conjunction with every other piece of the story.

If that's a bit difficult, you can also think about a general mapping technique: tracking the inner, emotional journey and the outer, physical journey, and how these events influence each other or intersect. What shows up on the page, and what's happening beneath it, that might not be as obvious?

In chronologically disjointed pieces, I tend to have an idea of what the chronological timeline looks like before I break it up and rearrange the scenes. I don't believe there are real "rules" when it comes to writing (things like "don't use adverbs" or "first person should only ever be past tense"); any rule can be broken, but you do need to understand the rules before you know how/when to break them in your piece.

3. Writing

Here's the hardest part of the process: actually writing! I have several different ways I approach writing. Sometimes I'll just follow my outline, in order of the events and scenes I have planned. Other times, I might write "out of order" where I tackle a section that I'm particularly interested in, rather than going by order of events (though this usually means I have to edit and revise a lot because I might write the aftermath of a emotional scene before I actually know the specifics of what happens in the scene).

I think that I sometimes approach writing as something I "have to do." I will make myself write, even if I don't feel particularly motivated or inspired, because I want to build a habit of writing even without that passion fueling me. And besides, writing even a few sentences is better than writing nothing, so I'll congratulate myself if I had one paragraph to my wip. Sometimes, this does help me get into the flow of writing!

I also don't tend to approach first drafts like they need to be perfect. I'm fine if they're sloppy or messy, and I might, say, add a [add transition here] or [expand on his inner thoughts] if I'm on a roll and I don't want to slow down to write that particular bit. It's important to keep the momentum going!

I also keep several wips on hands at all times, and I have a folder in my google drive specifically for my wips. Though I do tend to focus only one to three projects at a time, this helps me in the sense that if I feel tired of one wip, then I refresh my creative batteries by working on a different one. This helps keeps my interest up!

4. Revising/Editing

I know some people skip this step, but to me, it's important that I don't just toss out a fic before I'm completely satisfied with it. Editing is when you go through to proofread and look at surface level things like grammar and spelling, but revising is the real struggle: it's where you look at the piece as a whole. Is it cohesive? Do the scenes make sense in the order they're placed in? How is the pace? Is the characterization consistent?

You can't be afraid to rearrange scenes, to cut sections, to add new ones, or to transform existing scenes. If I need to, sometimes I take a break before I go back to a piece. Maybe I've been looking at it for too long, and in the heat of the moment, I might miss certain things. I might also ask a friend for their feedback and advice on a piece. I want to write things that I'm proud of, that other people will enjoy, so I don't want to half-ass any step of the process. I try to look at most things at least two or three times before I post them, but if they're shorter pieces/don't need thorough revision, I'll only look at it once before I post.

#liya answers #ofc sometimes these r interchangeable #like maybe ill start a drabble and then realize i want to write more of this rls #so i outline it and plan more of it etc etc #or i'll still be researching even as i write yk bc smth might come up that i didnt consider #i try not to revise as i write bc then ill get stuck #most important thing is just to get it finished! its easier to revise/edit when u have a completed work!

[prettyboyeddiemunson]

I’ll be done with the first draft of my first book on Saturday, and I’m feeling all of the emotions

#im anxious and im sad and im happy #editing and revision will be next which I dread BUT im happy to have finished it

[britneyshakespeare]

Much Ado About Nothing, II.i

#much ado about nothing #i am finally reading this play #the 29th shakespeare play ive read and im just finally getting to this extremely popular comedy #u can question my choices if u want im ok w that #shakespeare #beatrice #elizabethan literature #english renaissance #comedy #also i bought another edition of the shakespeare simply bc. i wanted tah. #this one has different supplementary material and it's not as chunky and unwieldy as the riverside (even tho the riverside is my beloved) #it was only like 14 bucks or so where i bought it #shakespeare: 23 plays and the sonnets revised edition edited by thomas marc parrott #it sparked joy #it's also so beautiful and has so many plated illustrations of performances over the years #it makes me soooo happy i have no regrets #as im getting closer to finishing the plays i haven't yet read im realizing that im going to want to reread them all my life #like i just have an inexhaustible love of shakespeare. unfortunately #so rich in magic and wonder and meaning. he really is one of The Greats #i like a lot of old dead people who wrote poems very specific to their time and place #and shakespeare belongs very firmly to his own time and place but the complexity and richness of his work really is so eternal #his stories and characters are fundamentally human and i do think upon a proper acquaintance just abt anyone can find smth to love in them. #the praise of shakespeare is not hollow. he's Really That Good #ive read so much literature in my life from various times places and cultures. only a drop in the bucket are Really That Good

[funkylittlebidiot]

Anyone remember About Him? yeah i'm re-editing lmao

#never understood when AO3 authors went back to revise their work but i get it now #though i probably won't post the new edits because i like seeing my original mess #this is step one in getting it all in physical copy #also maybe to actually continuing About The Future because i love my babies and i have so many ideas for them #also still need to actually finish writing my mechanical spider ideas so i can infest you all with my brain rot

[throughtrialbyfire]

i think i'm gonna drop the next four revised chapters as one big chunk because they're all HEAVILY interconnected and need one another for proper continuation, then i can release the next five revisions when i get to it!

#bishop.txt #the revised chapters are uh. longer <3 #my doc for the entire fic thus far has gone from ~75k to roughly 86k #ive got 32 chapters Written and im revising the first 10 and then i need to finish editing/finally release chapter 20 #hell i may make mild edits to the entire uploaded portion of the fic to make it feel better connected. we'll see

[felidaereverse]

hmmm I only have a little left to do on my portfolio. just 4 more instructional checklist boxes, finish my writing lesson overview, and clean up the introduction homepage. I could finish it before I go to sleep. or I could finish it when I get up tomorrow morning (it was already due at 11:59) hmmmmmm the evil curse of procrastinating on this strikes again

#ok. im going to finish the checklist and homepage before i sleep. #save lesson for tomorrow #and then im DONE #<- guy who is ignoring the paper i need to revise and the presentation i need to make. for now #edit: NOTE TO SELF -- need to fix image link embeds tmrw too

[thosetwofirefighters]

find the word challenge

rules: share snippets of your work containing each of the words the previous poster selected for you (optional addition: if you can't find the word in your WIPs, or you simply don't have any WIPs, you can just write a sentence around the word)

thanks @the-likesofus for the tag!! very excited to see how many of these words I've used...

my words are: quiet, hold, cover, first, together, and small. unsurprisingly, my fake dating au (currently sitting at almost 30k words like it has been for the past few months...) has all of these words multiple times lol <3

quiet

Buck’s phone rings, and he pulls it out of his pocket, his hands shaking when he reads Bobby’s contact name. He answers before he can even register it. “Pops?” His voice is quiet and terrified.

hold

Hearing footsteps from his spot on the couch, Buck tenses as Nathan comes up the stairs. It’s been so long, but Buck can still recognize the man’s footfalls. He lets out a breath he’d been subconsciously holding when Nathan finally appears and moves towards one of the armchairs across from him instead of the couch.

cover

“Jurassic Park!” Chris yells, and Buck has to cover his ears against the sound, the kid’s excitement causing him to be louder than usual. “Please, Dad, I know it’s kind of scary, but they just put it back on Netflix, and I’ve seen it before! Plus, I’m ten now, I won’t have nightmares!”

first

“I don’t want you to get hurt again,” Eddie says, meeting Buck’s gaze. His eyes are soft and despite his words, they shine with support, and Buck thinks—not for the first time—how lucky he is to have a best friend like Eddie.

together

Nathan’s study abroad had been nearly over when Buck brought up the idea of him going to Los Angeles to fight fires and help people. Nate had just nodded before taking Buck’s hand and kissing him, saying he’d buy the plane tickets in the morning. Buck had assumed they’d be going back together to be together.

small

Eddie glares at Chim when he insists on playing with the station’s small Hildy gadget that they keep in the kitchen. They mostly use it to play music, but Chimney takes the opportunity to ask her a bunch of questions throughout the day and only stops when Eddie threatens to run her over with a fire truck after Chimney starts asking her questions about the 118 themselves.

words for people I tag: home, care, love, make, and dream

no pressure tagging @mooshkat @jacksadventuresinwriting @ty-in-bedlam @lilbuddie <3

#so many of these were JUICYYYY #but i said lets be mysterious for once #and then i actually succeeded in not giving yall the juiciest tidbits? for once? #the snippet for 'hold' is so rough but like. we'll get there #i've decided to re-read all of my fake dating fic because OOOH BOY did I forget the vibes of the last chapter i've written #it is SPICY yall (not in the smut way) #asdgdsh tbh i feel evil giving you pieces of buck/nathan (an omc) and barely any buddie >:) #also jurassic park my beloved!! #it is my go-to when it comes to a movie to put in a fic tbh....like #it's my favorite and i am convinced chris would love it once buck convinced eddie to let them watch it together <3 #omg new headcanon just dropped buck and chris read jurassic park 'together' when chris is a teenager #not together together but like at the same time #when chris finally puts his foot down and says no more bedtime stories buck gets sad and so they come up with a new thing #aka buckley-diaz book club and i am SO writing that fic #holy shit i'm so excited it's gonna be so cuuuute #anywayyy i was looking through all my uses of 'cover' and didn't have to read past the jurassic park mention soooo love that lol #seriously though i cannot wait to edit this fic after i finish re-writing the earlier chapter i've been working on #i forgot how much i love editing my own work since i have most recently been working on a lot of lil projects that require little revision #but it's so fun! i truly am an editor at heart hehe <3 #i am going to 1) try to read it like I would someone else's work (which is impossible but like. we can try) #2) stop thinking about the big picture and focus on line edits and perfecting what i've already edited and had betaed #3) read it and edit like a motherfucking poet #this fic is gonna be so gorgeous i stg #she's got good bones now she just needs a decorator #and yk the last 60-ish percent of it lol #mine #wip #find the word challenge #tag game

[i-will-physically-fight-you]

Writing 2024 Plans:

Gibbous 14 Chapter: This chapter is like pulling tooth and nail, ngl. I might be writing some upcoming scenes (Chapter 14 and beyond) out of order and then frankensteining them together. I want to get Chapter 14 out by October 12th at the latest.

Remix Oneshot Fic and Various Oneshots: I still have several one-shots I'm keen on finishing, particularly a remix fic which I was supposed to get finished last February before Things happened. So stay tuned on that

Spoke No More Revision: Ok, okay, listen. Last year, I posted Spoke No More only because it was part of the big bang and I didnt want to let my partner down. But it really wasnt ready to be published. So I'm gonna take this Spring to write it properly and then maybe go further and finish the third fic in the cycle. Here's a sneak peak:

From that point onwards, the knife remains at his side. Safely tucked within the folds of his clothing, ready to be grasped at a moment’s notice. Sometimes, it is not on his person. Sometimes he keeps it wedged underneath the bedframe.

This is because he does not receive mere sponge baths anymore. Rather, now that he can walk to some success again, They have decided to inflict upon him the luxury of an actual bath. Once a week, at a particular day, Patton ushers him into the Prince’s Bath, the water already heated and scented with sage and thyme.

There was only one time that His Eminence granted him a bath. It was in a dark room, with a tub full of something that was cold and sticky and scented with copper. The stench did not leave him for weeks, perhaps months.

These baths leave behind a stench that is…pleasant. His hair dries not into viscous clumps but soft wavy strands. At first, the water stings his healing scars. But gradually, it leaves his skin softer and rejuvenated.

He does not allow himself to enjoy these baths. Not when there is the lurking knowledge it is an amenity that could easily be snatched away. Once he is dried off and tucked into bed with fresh clothing, Virgil waits. -Spoke No More, Part 2: More is Thy Due than More than All Can Pay

#kat talks #i also am trying to write a little something every day #best case scenario: I get Spoke No More Revised finished by June #and then I'll start posting the whole of BTOMPT onto ao3 after giving Heard No More some edits

[bigcats-birds-and-books]

IT’S SO ENCOURAGING TO HEAR THAT YOU DID A GOOD JOB AT REVISING SOMETHING, HONESTLY

#text #presonal #writing #editing #in btw #driscoll #yes ezra this is u lol thank u #(hannah said something similar too but she didn't do a Side By Side comparison lmao) #but anyway!! sometimes i just need to hear!! that i am in fact making it Better and not just Different!!!! #AAAAND i finished the second chapter (again)(for the like twelfth time this round of revisions lmao) #AND I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER ABOUT IT!!!!! #I THINK I FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS FUCKED AND I THINK I UNFUCKED IT!!!!!!!!! #i'm inputting because i got caught up to my new printed pages lol #i'm fixing the underlying fuckup as i go but i need a clean page to do it on because it's uuuuh a Disaster so far in these margins #unfortunately: now i'm at the 15 page chapter (which is really like a 30 page chapter at least in #~Real Pages~) #(also char yes this is about what you said about lucius drafts too <3) #(but per my usual MO: perpetually terrified that it was a one off and i'm not actually good at it lmao)

[kathleen-lyons-the-writer]

Here's Something Fun for the Characters from Arboriah Lux

Alternate responses to getting stabbed featuring the characters from my book, Arboriah Lux, to be published in April/May.

Cassius Morgenstern: Rude

Elderick Passor: That’s fair

Ephrem: Not again...

Esilas Solani: Are you gonna want this back or can I keep it?

Lux/Luxahliah: I'm not sure if I should be flattered or offended.

Duchess Mareene: Well, I had this coming.

Avaline: ... ouch...

Dargrin Passor: -dramatically falls- oh, Woe is me that my blood shall spill from this wound (His wife Dahliah: darling, that is literally a pin prick)

Dahliah Passor: I'm hurt that you would stab me.

Captain Ailgraym Solani: is this anything new?

Queen Elaine Morgenstern: bold of you to stab me... though that does kind of hurt.

King Claustus Morgenstern: I'm sorry, did you need something?

Eshrik: Beg your pardon? (He's probably the one who did the stabbing)

--I didn't do responses for the twins... you know, considering their line eleven years old--

#writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writing community #writing romance #arboriah lux #paranormal fantasy #paranormal #supernatural #supernatural fantasy #current wip #edits finished #revisions finished #formatting in progress

[knightzp]

i spent like half of today rereading my enstars bigbang fic from the start and honestly im having the time of my life

#mostly doing it as a last revision to make some minor edits if necessary and make sure everythings good #but omg im enjoying this reread a lot now that the fic is completely finished #like the first chapters i wrote them months ago so aldjsksk #really proud of how it came out tbh #im always saying it but i really should reread my own fics more often this is so fun

[sunset-a-story]

heyy, happy last STS of the year!! it's hard coming up with an original end-of-year ask, so I'm just gonna shoot off a bunch of questions, and you feel free to answer whichever you want/haven't already:D are you satisfied with where you're at right now in your writing journey? where do you hope to be at this time next year? do you have any Must-Accomplish 2024 writing goals? anything new you'd like to try in your writing (technique-wise, story-wise, scheduling-wise, structure-wise, etc.) next year? any stories you'd like to start? end?

Thanks for the ask, Cee!

I'm feeling pretty good about where I am, actually! Got a lot written and helped launch the release! My goal for 2024 is to finish the draft of Arc 3 which feels like a tall order but I'm going to figure it out.

And I haven't been able to find time to write much in the past couple of months between side jobs and the Sunset Patreon (and a new exciting thing tba soon!) so I'm planning on trying out a more structured schedule to block out space dedicated to writing in the new year. Fingers crossed!

#i know it will take a long-ass time for us to edit/revise but the idea of finishing Sunset this coming year is a wild concept. #sts #thanks again for the ask! #also i legit forgot it was Sat. Does it get more the-time-between-xmas-and-nye than that?

[direwombat]

another wip friday

tagged by @socially-awkward-skeleton and @schoute to share some wips this week! I’m finishing up editing chapter 4 of fragile creatures so here’s one last taste of this particular chapter before i post it (hopefully by monday)

tagging: @thomrainer, @harmonyowl, @funkypoacher, @natesofrellis, @adelaidedrubman, @strafethesesinners, @confidentandgood, @aceghosts, @poeti-kat, @jacrispea, and anyone else wanting to share their work! 

John looks back at him, his face painted in misery, and Jacob feels himself soften. He’s read dozens of reports about what happened to his brother that night, but he’s yet to hear the story from John’s lips. His shoulders relax and he gives his brother a kind look. “Tell me what happened, John,” he says, not as an order, but as a request. Tell me how I can fix this. 

John looks away again, his gaze searching the room before it falls back on the decanter. “You need more whiskey,” he says. 

“John,” Jacob warns. His tone is far firmer than he intended, and he winces at just how much he sounds like his father. It’s bad enough he sees his ghost every time he catches his reflection in the mirror. He’s just grateful John was too young to retain any vivid memories of the man. But he grimaces regardless, closing his eyes as he realizes that Jacob isn’t going to let this go. 

He sighs. The bitter scowl melts away and his features smooth, making him look younger and more vulnerable. Jacob would die to make sure he never saw that look on John’s face ever again. 

John is quiet for a long moment, his jaw working as he struggles to find the words in his alcohol-hazed brain. “Joseph is upset,” he says eventually.

#wip whenever #wip: fragile creatures #irl stuff this past week has kicked my ass but i finished drafting ch. 4 while moving cross country #and my plans for this weekend are just to revise and edit #so hopefully by sunday night/monday morning i will have it posted :)